Mmm, Pizza…On the Grill

Pizza is easy to make at home. But it’s best when you can bake it in a really hot oven.

Of course, not everyone has a pizza oven that can get to a high enough temperature. If you have an outdoor grill, you can make pizza as good as the kind they serve in Italian restaurants.

It’s super easy if you have a pizza stone. Pizza stones heat evenly so your pizza cooks all over at the same rate.

I’ve slowly been accumulating every kitchen appliance and gadget known to man. And it’s finally paying off.

In my Cuisinart bread machine I made pizza dough following the recipe booklet. It makes a light fluffy dough that uses wheat flour as well as high-protein bread flour, so you’re not eating so much white food. The machine kneads the dough, lets it rise, kneads it again, all the exhausting steps that go into making good pizza dough.

In had some tomato sauce left over from a pasta meal that I used for the pizza. I topped with shredded cheese and oregano.

Warm the pizza stone on the grill on high. Then place the pizza onto the stone. Lower the heat and cook on low until the cheese is golden and bubbly. It only takes a few minutes.

I used a pizza stone set from Bialetti, the company famous for its espresso makers. The set includes pizza stone, serving rack and pizza cutter. It’s inexpensive and very easy to use. You can even use it to bake frozen pizzas or cookies.

Yummy.

3 Piece Rectangular Pizza Stone Set

Stuffed Peppers

In my search for vegetarian meals, I’ve adjusted a recipe that my mother used to make: stuffed peppers. She would fill green peppers with a mix of rice and ground beef. I substituted the beef for cannelloni beans and I used brown rice instead of white. The meal came out really well, so I thought I’d share it with you.

Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:
4 large green peppers
1 can of cannellini beans
1 cup cooked brown rice
2 Tbsp seasoned bread crumbs

Clean out center of green peppers and rinse. Par-boil until softened but still firm. Alternate adding layers of cooked brown rice and cannellini beans. Top with bread crumbs to seal. Spray a pyrex dish with non-stick cooking spray. Place the four peppers standing up. Cook uncovered in 400-degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until the tops start to turn brown. Serve with marinara sauce. Serves 2.

Notes:
-Select peppers that have an even bottom so they will stand up in the pan.
-I heat leftover spaghetti sauce to pour over the peppers after I remove them from the oven.